Latest news with #QualifiedDigital
Entrepreneur
a day ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Meet the Entrepreneur Behind Qualified Digital
Jaqi Saleem is the founder and CEO of digital experience agency Qualified Digital, and founder of Jaqi Purpose Co., a mission-driven investment fund. Here she breaks down her best advice for sustainable growth, fundraising, and creating a culture of collaboration. Please give us the elevator pitch of your business. My company, Qualified Digital, is an award-winning digital experience agency that competes with top consultancies 100-1,000 times our size to serve Fortune 500 clients like Mayo Clinic, CVS, Hitachi Vantara, CommonSpirit Health, Kaiser Permanente, Novo Nordisk, Bristol-Myers Squibb and TransUnion. Our 360° approach, in partnership with industry leaders like Adobe, blends B2B and B2C expertise to craft seamless customer journeys. Our tagline is "The Experience of Connection". Or, if you want a simpler soft pitch, we can use my Mom's description: "I think they put the buttons on the internet." You are not wrong, Mom, we do that too. What inspired you to create this business? The truth is, I started this digital customer experience agency completely by accident. After over 15 years at agencies — and getting the feeling I had hit a glass ceiling — I decided to give independent consulting a try. A couple of months in, a customer offered me an opportunity to build and fund my own guerrilla dream team to pick up some business-critical projects after an unexpected and rapid split with their previous digital agency. I didn't hesitate — I called all of the smartest people I knew and asked them to join me. I was gratified and humbled when they did. Fast forward 7.5 years, Qualified Digital is private equity backed by Stella Point Capital, and has 100+ teammates composed of the smartest people I now know. Related: 'We Didn't Know We Could Do That!' These Co-Founders Built a Unique Photography Business That Tapped an Unexpected Need — And Now Is Found in 60 Cities What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking for funding? Make sure you are looking for a partner who adds value and is aligned to your vision, not just a check. Don't be pompous, but be curious in ways that show you need to know about the potential investor, as well. Don't ask them questions you could find on their website; welcome them into the conversation; leave room for their voice, as the dynamic changes and creates more opportunity to connect. They are investing in you as a leader, as much as in your business, so be human, not a well-dressed robot. While you want to be prepared to speak the entire time, hope and invite a dialogue and anticipate what they might ask so you don't freeze or skip a beat. Practice, practice, practice, not just for presenting your investor deck in the order it is laid out, but for any direction that the conversation may go. I often keep an appendix of items that likely wouldn't make it into a brief pitch, but may be a confidence builder if they ask a pointed question and you can show you are on top of it. Lastly, and this is extremely important: ensure they don't see you as a project. Investors don't want to do your job; they need to believe that you can execute on an incredible idea, not just that you have one. Especially if you don't have a track record to point to, develop a clear plan or include a partner who can lead on the business front. Clear plans are important, either way, so they feel they can press the easy button by just funding and advising. Female-owned businesses only get 2 per cent of VC funding — what specific advice can you give to women business owners seeking to emulate what you achieved in getting PE investment? Knowing that stat can be intimidating, but don't let it get in your head. It might stop you from asking at all, and we need to change that number, not perpetuate it. I did not run into any resistance in my process, and ran a competitive one, which I highly recommend. This allowed me to command the value I knew Qualified Digital was worth, gender identity aside. If you are at the right stage, really consider bringing on a banker to represent you. They come with fees, but the right ones, with the right network, are worth their weight in gold. Related: He Hated Furniture Shopping. So He Built a Business to Do It for Him. Here's How This Unconventional Founder Is Finding New Customers and Growth. What kind of growth have you seen? In the early years, starting from scratch, Qualified Digital grew 100% YoY+. As our revenue numbers increased, that percentage has naturally changed. Last year, we delivered 45%+ growth. This year, through the combination of organic growth and our recent acquisition of Xpediant Digital, we are on track to deliver another 40% growth year for 2025 and are projecting $31.5M in revenue. What tips can you give to other founders on maintaining company culture when your team is either partially or fully remote? I'm proud of the work-life balance that we're able to give our team by being a fully remote company. We have over 100 employees and FTE equivalents on our team, based all across the US and around the world, and that team is able to pick up and drop off their kids at school, take care of their mental and physical health, and do the things they love like travel, or whatever passions or hobbies they have. QD's company culture encourages a mindset that is both entrepreneurial and collaborative, and I feel that is one of the things that really sets us apart. My advice is: create an energy that multiplies, and it will. Culture cascades from the top, so your team has to want you to win, they have to want each other to win, and they have to want to win themselves. And most of all: hire great humans and interesting people. Your team is the magic, and it is your job as a leader to protect that culture from those who draw down on it. What advice can you give about making the decision to acquire another company, such as your recent acquisition of Xpediant Digital? See a clear 1+1 = 3. Do not buy revenue, buy a value multiplier, whether that is a new capability, new industries, or products that accelerate what you do. Is it a value add to your existing clients, or is it all about new clients you can add value to? Either way, just ensure you have a clear vision that helps your team and their team get excited to execute on that vision. Make sure the company is a culture fit; that your team and their team will be proud to stand shoulder to shoulder and excited to collaborate. Remember, when you are hungry, everything can look like a steak (or a portobello mushroom burger if that's more your style). Related: They Started a Side Hustle in Their College Dorm and Bootstrapped Their Way to a Massive Business: 'It's Always Been About Being Scrappy' You also make investments through your investment fund, Jaqi Purpose Co. What tips can you give entrepreneurs seeking to pitch to investors like you? Show me the problem, show me that solving that problem adds a social or mission-oriented outcome, and then show me the solution you have for that problem and how you are doing so. Show me there is a market or need for it, that no one else is doing it (well), and that if you had the money, you would be able to deliver what and by when. Be ready to show me that you are ready. I want to invest in things that matter, which means I want that investment to be successful. It cannot just be an idea, it needs to be a plan. A plan that you can execute on with guidance and money, not one that would be a project I would take on. What does the word "entrepreneur" mean to you? If I am honest, the word entrepreneur is still a word that I have to remember to match myself to. I love this question, because it challenges old thinking I had around the word. Taking a step back, acknowledging that I am an entrepreneur, I would say this: It is someone who is relentlessly passionate about the business, product or problem they are solving; someone who is not afraid of failing, but mostly because they think they won't in the long run; know that controlled failure is an essential part of the process in any kind of meaningful success; someone who teeters the line of confidence and delusion, just enough to take the big risky swings necessary to drive meaningful impact, but with the humility and pragmatism that keeps them grounded and taking the right swings; someone who builds with the end in mind, making space for the right amount of uncertainty and evolution, but with some sense of what success looks like in the end. Is there a particular quote or saying that you use as personal motivation? "I have no particular talents — I am just passionately curious" - Einstein. I love this quote, and in fact, "passionately curious" is one of our five core values at Qualified Digital. It was just so relatable to me. It eroded some of that "them but not me" impostor mindset. If Einstein says he has no special talents, and his superpower is curiosity, well then, that is a recipe I could put to action.
Associated Press
17-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Qualified Digital Announces Acquisition of Xpediant Digital to Transform Pharma and Life Sciences Content and Data Operations
RENO, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 17, 2025-- Qualified Digital (QD), a leading full-service digital business and experience agency, has announced its acquisition of Xpediant Digital, a premier provider of content supply chain automations for Pharma and Life Sciences as a services and product partner. Through its innovative and integrated product, built natively into Adobe Experience Manager and Veeva, Xpediant and its solutions transform the regulatory process for its customers creating an incredible return on time and costs. With over two decades of delivering high quality services and innovative products to solve some of the greatest challenges in highly regulated industries such as Pharma and Medtech, Xpediant expands Qualified Digital's focus on quality and high business impact within the Healthcare industry. With Qualified Digital's strategically led practice spanning the entire Adobe Experience Cloud, notably its rapidly expanding Adobe AEP and Workfront practices, the newly combined capabilities, and powerful talent, stand to truly disrupt the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry go-to-market process. Said Jaqueline Saleem, CEO, Qualified Digital: 'We are beyond thrilled to welcome Xpediant to the QD family, expanding our collective capabilities to our existing and future customers. We are excited to hit the ground running, transforming content operations including MLR (Medical Legal Regulatory), while elevating digital experiences through consumer-led experience design and ecosystem orchestration. As the experience economy continues to realize the importance of end-to-end service providers who not only understand each standalone solution, but can execute on the vision and promise of orchestrating those connections to multiply the value they bring, our ethos only becomes stronger and ever more essential. The ability to automate and deliver truly multi-channel experiences from IVA, banner ads, email, SMS, web experiences and more has actually been made accessible to these brands in ways that have previously been arduous to attain. This acquisition doubles down on QD's commitment to accomplish ROI for our customers from both cost reduction and, even more so, revenue generating returns.' Added Qusai Mahesri, CEO, Xpediant Digital, 'With content creation demands growing exponentially, Pharma organizations need smarter, more efficient solutions. Joining the Qualified Digital family allows us to deliver an integrated approach that optimizes the entire content lifecycle— from strategy and development to compliance and deployment. Customers have realized both months of time and millions in cost savings within a year of adopting Xpediant's XpConnect ® platform and elite services.' Xpediant's clients include life science powerhouses Novo Nordisk, Fresenius, Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca and Zimmer Biomet. QD serves clients in various industries, including CommonSpirit Health, Cigna, Mercy Health, CVS Health, Kaiser Permanente, Hitachi Vantara, and Rubrik. The acquisition of Xpediant represents QD's first major expansion since partnering with Stella Point Capital, who invested in QD in 2024 to help scale its long term vision for expansion and growth. About Qualified Digital Qualified Digital (QD) is a leading full-service digital consultancy agency, specializing in customer experience and digital transformation. Founded in 2017 by CEO Jaqi Saleem, QD leverages its expertise in B2B and B2C business and marketing, prioritizing strategy in customer experience, data, content, and technology. Qualified Digital aims to deliver true customer journey orchestration, automation, and personalization, enabling you and your organization to drive meaningful experiences together. With a strategic focus on Fortune 500+ companies, and specializations across healthcare and the complexities of B2B marketing life cycles, QD is dedicated to cultivating long-term relationships that drive unmatched customer experience and digital return on investment by keeping a close pulse on a brand's needs and opportunities. Learn more at About Xpediant Digital Xpediant Digital is a leading provider of content supply chain automation solutions, helping organizations streamline content creation, compliance, and delivery across multiple channels. With proprietary solutions that integrate seamlessly with leading content management and regulatory platforms, Xpediant Digital enables faster approvals, improved efficiency, and greater content reusability for life sciences and pharmaceutical companies. By leveraging AI-driven automation, intelligent workflows, and best-in-class integration technologies, Xpediant Digital empowers organizations to enhance content velocity and ensure compliance in a complex regulatory landscape. Learn more at About Stella Point Capital Stella Point Capital, a New York-based private equity firm, partners with founders, families and management teams of services businesses, including tech-enabled financial, consumer and marketing companies. The firm seeks investment opportunities with sellers who seek a value-added partner and often choose to retain equity stakes in their businesses. Founded by Justin Wender and Adam Godfrey, Stella Point focuses on well-positioned businesses with strong cultural foundations across North America. With over $500 million of equity invested across eight platform investments and eleven add-on acquisitions, Stella Point delivers operational expertise and senior counsel to achieve accelerated growth and build long-term value for its partners. For more information, please visit SOURCE: Qualified Digital Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/17/2025 08:00 AM/DISC: 03/17/2025 08:00 AM
